New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1934
Encyclopedia
The 1934 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-sixth season of Sydney's top-grade rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season which lasted from April until September and culminated in Western Suburbs' victory over Eastern suburbs in the premiership final.
In Round 2 the University club began a losing streak which would run until the 14th round of the 1936 season, marking the record for the most consecutive losses in premiership history at 42.
and Eastern Suburbs
beat their lower-ranked opponents St. George
and South Sydney
. The two winners then played in a final in which Western beat Eastern Suburbs.
After a hurried conference on Saturday, 1 September 1934, the league postponed the final for a week because of heavy rain and adverse ground conditions. It was the first postponement in the competition's twenty-seven-year history. Eastern Suburbs players Viv Thicknesse and Stan Tancred made a return for the final which was refereed by J Murphy before a crowd of 25,174.
Western Suburbs
captain Frank McMillan won the toss and ran with the wind before Les Mead opened with a penalty goal. Regular stoppages for infringements ensued before Jack Beaton kicked accurately to level the match at 2–2. Western Suburbs Test winger Alan Ridley scored the first try of the match, crashing over on the right wing after powering through the defence. McMillan's conversion made it 7–2, with the score remaining unchanged at halftime.
After the break, Thicknesse hit back for Eastern Suburbs and crossed after excellent lead up work by Joe Pearce. Beaton missed the conversion but Dave Brown steered through a penalty from a scrum infringement shortly after and the scores were level at 7–7. Rain began to fall as Western Suburbs gathered momentum. The play shifted to Easts' line and Vince Sheehan crossed for an unconverted try and Western Suburbs led 10–7. Eastern Suburbs continued to defend grimly before Western Suburbs surged to a comfortable 15–7 lead. Vic Hey received a lobbed pass and got the ball to Alan Ridley who scored under the upright for Mead to convert. The Roosters' chances came in the final stages and Andy Norval crossed for his team's second try, although the referee appeared to miss a blatant knock-on. Beaton converted but it was all too late, with Western Suburbs claiming their second premiership.
A great victory by a great team who upset the star-studded Eastern Suburbs, who went on to win the next three titles. Alan Ridley played one of the best games for Western Suburbs along with team-mates Mead, Hey, Brady, Tancred. Current test skipper Frank McMillan (141 games) and hooker Bob Lindfield (138 matches) announced their retirement after the victory and were chaired from the field by team-mates.
Western Suburbs 15 (Tries: Alan Ridley 2, Vince Sheehan. Goals: Les Mead 2, Frank McMillan
)
Eastern Suburbs 12 (Tries: Andy Norval
, Viv Thicknesse
. Goals: Jack Beaton
2, Dave Brown
)
Season summary
At the height of The Depression, the New South Wales Rugby Football League again banned radio broadcasts of matches, blaming them for a severe drop in crowd numbers.In Round 2 the University club began a losing streak which would run until the 14th round of the 1936 season, marking the record for the most consecutive losses in premiership history at 42.
Teams
- BalmainBalmain TigersThe Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
, formed on January 23, 1908 at Balmain Town Hall - Eastern SuburbsSydney RoostersThe Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, formed on January 24, 1908 at Paddington Town Hall - NewtownNewtown JetsThe Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
, formed on January 14, 1908 - North SydneyNorth Sydney BearsThe North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, formed on February 7, 1908 - South SydneySouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
, formed on January 17, 1908 at Redfern Town Hall - St. GeorgeSt. George DragonsThe St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
, formed on November 8, 1920 at Kogarah School of Arts - Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, formed on February 4, 1908 - University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University
 Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
 Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
 Newtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
 North Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
 St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
 South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
 |
 Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Eastern SuburbsSydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 308 | 165 | 24 |
| 2 |  Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 263 | 158 | 24 |
| 3 |  St. GeorgeSt. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 251 | 166 | 18 |
| 4 |  South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 213 | 149 | 16 |
| 5 |  NewtownNewtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 192 | 229 | |
| 10 | ||||||||
| 6 |  North SydneyNorth Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
14 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 194 | 234 | |
| 10 | ||||||||
| 7 |  BalmainBalmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 206 | 275 | |
| 8 | ||||||||
| 8 |  University |
14 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 113 | 364 | |
| 2 | ||||||||
Finals
In the two semi finals, the top two ranked teams Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs
Western Suburbs is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League....
and Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
beat their lower-ranked opponents St. George
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
and South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
. The two winners then played in a final in which Western beat Eastern Suburbs.
Premiership Final
| Western Suburbs | Position | Eastern Suburbs |
|---|---|---|
| Frank McMillan Frank McMillan Frank McMillan was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a full-back for the Australian national team and played in nine Tests between 1929 and 1934, two as captain... (Ca./Co.) |
FB | Tom Dowling Tom Dowling (rugby league) Tom Dowling is a former rugby league footballer. He played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership for the Eastern Suburbs club.... |
| Alan Ridley Alan Ridley Alan Ridley was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative winger, he played club football for Sydney's Western Suburbs, with whom he won the 1934 NSWRFL Premiership.... |
WG | John Lane |
| Charlie Cornwell | CE | Dave Brown Dave Brown (rugby league footballer Easts) David Michael Brown born Kogarah, New South Wales, died on 23 February 1974 in Sydney) was one of Australia's greatest rugby league footballers.... (c) |
| Stan Tancred | CE | Jack Beaton Jack Beaton John Beaton was an Australian rugby league player, a national representative of the 1930s whose club career was played with Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club. He has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.... |
| Alan Brady Alan Brady Alan Brady was a rugby league player for the Western Suburbs and Canterbury clubs, as well as the New South Wales rugby league team.- Club career :... |
WG | Harry Thompson |
| Vic Hey Vic Hey Vic Hey born Liverpool, New South Wales, was an Australian rugby league national and state representative five-eighth and later a successful first-grade and national coach. His Australian club playing career commenced with the Western Suburbs Magpies and concluded with the Parramatta Eels. In... |
FE | Ernie Norman Ernie Norman Ernie Norman was an Australian rugby league player - a state and national representative Centre or Five-eighth. His club career was with the Eastern Suburbs club in the New South Wales Rugby League competition.... |
| Les Mead Les Mead Les Mead is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1930s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative goal-kicking half back, he played his club football in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership with Western Suburbs.Son of... |
HB | Viv Thicknesse Viv Thicknesse Viv Thicknesse was an Australian rugby league footballer, a national and state representative whose club career was spent with the champion Eastern Suburbs sides of the 1930s... |
| Jack McConnell | PR | Ray Stehr Ray Stehr Raymond Ernest Stehr was an Australian rugby league footballer, a state and national representative player whose club career was played at Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club. He has been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.-Early life:Stehr was born in the country New... |
| Bob Linfield | HK | Tom McLachlan Tom McLachlan Tom ‘Tommy’ McLachlan was a rugby league footballer in the New South Wales Rugby League .A South Sydney junior, McLachlan made his 1st grade debut for that club in 1931. In 1934 Tommy McLachlan joined the Eastern Suburbs club where he remained until his retirement at the end of the 1937 Season... |
| Alan Blake | PR | Max Nixon |
| Vince Sheehan | SR | Harry Pierce Harry Pierce Henry "Harry" Pierce was a rugby league footballer in Australia's leading competition the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership. He played for both the St George Dragons and the Eastern Suburbs clubs.... |
| Max Gray | SR | Joe Pearce Joe Pearce Sid 'Joe' Pearce was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1930s and 40s. An Australian international and New South Wales representative second-row forward, he played his club football for Eastern Suburbs with whom he won the NSWRFL Premiership in 1935, '36, 37 'and '40... |
| Ray Hancock | LK | Andy Norval Andy Norval Andy Norval was an Australian rugby league player, a national and state representative lock-forward whose club career was with Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club.... |
Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
captain Frank McMillan won the toss and ran with the wind before Les Mead opened with a penalty goal. Regular stoppages for infringements ensued before Jack Beaton kicked accurately to level the match at 2–2. Western Suburbs Test winger Alan Ridley scored the first try of the match, crashing over on the right wing after powering through the defence. McMillan's conversion made it 7–2, with the score remaining unchanged at halftime.
After the break, Thicknesse hit back for Eastern Suburbs and crossed after excellent lead up work by Joe Pearce. Beaton missed the conversion but Dave Brown steered through a penalty from a scrum infringement shortly after and the scores were level at 7–7. Rain began to fall as Western Suburbs gathered momentum. The play shifted to Easts' line and Vince Sheehan crossed for an unconverted try and Western Suburbs led 10–7. Eastern Suburbs continued to defend grimly before Western Suburbs surged to a comfortable 15–7 lead. Vic Hey received a lobbed pass and got the ball to Alan Ridley who scored under the upright for Mead to convert. The Roosters' chances came in the final stages and Andy Norval crossed for his team's second try, although the referee appeared to miss a blatant knock-on. Beaton converted but it was all too late, with Western Suburbs claiming their second premiership.
A great victory by a great team who upset the star-studded Eastern Suburbs, who went on to win the next three titles. Alan Ridley played one of the best games for Western Suburbs along with team-mates Mead, Hey, Brady, Tancred. Current test skipper Frank McMillan (141 games) and hooker Bob Lindfield (138 matches) announced their retirement after the victory and were chaired from the field by team-mates.
Western Suburbs 15 (Tries: Alan Ridley 2, Vince Sheehan. Goals: Les Mead 2, Frank McMillan
Frank McMillan
Frank McMillan was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a full-back for the Australian national team and played in nine Tests between 1929 and 1934, two as captain...
)
Eastern Suburbs 12 (Tries: Andy Norval
Andy Norval
Andy Norval was an Australian rugby league player, a national and state representative lock-forward whose club career was with Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club....
, Viv Thicknesse
Viv Thicknesse
Viv Thicknesse was an Australian rugby league footballer, a national and state representative whose club career was spent with the champion Eastern Suburbs sides of the 1930s...
. Goals: Jack Beaton
Jack Beaton
John Beaton was an Australian rugby league player, a national representative of the 1930s whose club career was played with Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club. He has been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century....
2, Dave Brown
Dave Brown (rugby league footballer Easts)
David Michael Brown born Kogarah, New South Wales, died on 23 February 1974 in Sydney) was one of Australia's greatest rugby league footballers....
)